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My MacBook Air arrived last week with Mavericks pre-installed and I've been unable to install Windows 7 Professional 64 bit on it.

I get the following errors:

and

Please note the images are not my images, but found them online in other forums - I'm using these purely to show the error messages

I used an ISO file to create a bootable USB to install Windows, which I have done before on an older MBA, using a 32 bit version.

There is nothing wrong with the ISO file I use as it works on other regular laptops (non-Mac). Apple Technical support have so far, asked me to ensure I'm using a retail version of Windows 7 Pro, which I am. It's company software which we download from Microsoft directly.

Not sure if the fact the new MBA comes with USB3 ports could have anything to do with this.

The Apple Technical team are in contact with me and this has been escalated to the engineering team, but I've been tirelessly Googling the issue and reading posts of many forums.

So far I've thought about reverting back to Mountain Lion - which I am sure isn't a good move....and also installing Win 7 Pro via a windows partition without using BootCamp.

So far I've thought about reverting back to Mountain Lion - which I am sure isn't a good move....and also installing Win 7 Pro via a windows partition without using BootCamp.

You can not install Mountain Lion since your new Air came pre-installed with
Mavericks. You can not downgrade. From your statement above I don't know if you're using Boot Camp to install Windows 7 Pro?

The Boot Camp assistant will recognize that your Air does not have an optical drive and offers to create a bootable USB flash drive from your downloaded ISO of Windows 7 Pro. It also advises you to download a driver image from Apple which can be placed on a flash drive to load during the installation process.

How about telling us exactly what steps you've taken as it seems we're missing something here.

I think you are trying to use Parallels. One of the top bars in the windows refers to Parallels Desktop. On my Parallels, when I select New for a new system, I am presented with the option of CD/DVD, image or USB. So if Parallels is what you want, then just install from the same image you used to create the install USB, or point to the install USB when offered the opportunity.

If you think you are using BootCamp, that first window shows otherwise. Parallels and BootCamp are two different things.

You can not install Mountain Lion since your new Air came pre-installed with
Mavericks. You can not downgrade. From your statement above I don't know if you're using Boot Camp to install Windows 7 Pro?

The Boot Camp assistant will recognize that your Air does not have an optical drive and offers to create a bootable USB flash drive from your downloaded ISO of Windows 7 Pro. It also advises you to download a driver image from Apple which can be placed on a flash drive to load during the installation process.

How about telling us exactly what steps you've taken as it seems we're missing something here.

Hello chscag,

Thanks for your comments, sorry I neglected to include my rundown of events. Hope I haven't missed anything else out. I followed the BootCamp Assistant for this process.

1) Updated the mac via software update

2) Opened Disk Utility to and chose the top level of my 8GB USB stick, formatted to MS-DOS FAT since it was under 32GB...

I think you are trying to use Parallels. One of the top bars in the windows refers to Parallels Desktop. On my Parallels, when I select New for a new system, I am presented with the option of CD/DVD, image or USB. So if Parallels is what you want, then just install from the same image you used to create the install USB, or point to the install USB when offered the opportunity.

If you think you are using BootCamp, that first window shows otherwise. Parallels and BootCamp are two different things.

Hi MacInWin,

Terribly sorry for any confusion - the images aren't mine which I should have mentioned. Just used them to show the error messages I was getting when I tried to install Windows.

I've since edited my post to reflect this. Thanks for pointing it out to me!

Thanks for posting back the details. It sure seems you did everything correct which is why I don't understand the error you're receiving? Normally Windows would install and reboot. Then you would install the drivers you downloaded from Apple. I'm beginning to suspect that your copy of Windows 7 Pro x 64 bit is a single licensed multiple (corporate) version which is not eligible for Boot Camp installation. The copy is of course legal but for some reason the corporate licensed versions do not work with Boot Camp.

I'm not 100% certain if that's the problem you're running into, so you may wish to confirm this with Apple support. Let us know.

I'm beginning to suspect that your copy of Windows 7 Pro x 64 bit is a single licensed multiple (corporate) version which is not eligible for Boot Camp installation. The copy is of course legal but for some reason the corporate licensed versions do not work with Boot Camp.

I'm not 100% certain if that's the problem you're running into, so you may wish to confirm this with Apple support. Let us know.

Hi chscag, thanks for your response. I am currently using an older MBA lower specification, running Windows 7 Pro x32 bit and that is also a corporate version so it's confusing me as to why this x64 bit doesn't work

Speaking to Apple on Monday....will post what they come up with (if anything)!

Do you know that for sure? Keep in mind if it does, he would have to completely erase his hard drive and then purchase a copy of Mountain Lion. Also, I don't believe that it would solve his current problem trying to install Win 7 x 64 Pro.